Mower attachment for tractors



7 Aug. 18', 1942.

. P. J. POKLUDA MOWER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Filed Aug. 26, i940 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Attorney P. J. POKLUDA MOWER ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Aug. 18, 1942.

Filed Aug. 26, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet? In vcnior za/ (Z ei/ao a A ttorney P. J. POKLUDA 210mm ATTACHMENT FOR TRACTORS Aug. 18, 1942.

Filed Aug. '26, 1940 s Sheets-Sheet s 4'2 I Inventor Q a/I[ l ck/Q02 A iiomey Patented Aug; 18, 1942 \UNITED STATE s PATnN caries My invention relates to improvements in tractors and more particularly to mower attachments therefor,

The principal object of the invention is to pro vide the standard type farm tractor, of commerce, with a mowing equipment in front of the rear wheels of the tractor and for adjustment of the cutter bar or blade either by power, or

hand, into ineffective and effective positions and into different cutting positions to vary the depth of the cut, .as desired. i Other and subordinate objects are to provide an attachment which is inexpensive to manufacture and install and which may be embodied in the tractor without alteration in, the basic structure of the latter.

To the accomplishment of the above, and the subordinate objects presently appearing, a preferred embodiment of my invention has been mustrated in the accompanying drawings, set forth in detail in the succeeding description, and de fined in the claim appended hereto.

In said drawings:

Figure 1 is a view in top plan of a tracto equipped according to myinvention.

Figure 2 is a'view in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a view in perspective of the frame,

Figure 4 is a fragmentary view in longitudinal section taken on the line |4 of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a view in perspective of part of one of the cutter bar operating levers,

Figure 6 is a similar view of the frame-supporting hanger bracket, and

Figure '7 is a fragmentary view in top plan of part of the frame and the draw-bar of the tractor.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, I have shown my invention therein as applied to a conventi onally illustrated farm tractorof well-known type, I, and 2 designating the right and left-hand ing parallel with the right-hand chassis side bar disposed in the center of the tractor as will be understood.

According to my invention a frame It is provlded beneath the chassis of the tractor to extend' forwardly and rearwardly of the housing 3 and forwardly-of the wheels 5 and to carry the cutter bar, drive mechanism therefor, and other parts all as presently described.

The frame I6 comprises a pair of upper right and left-hand side bars l1, IS, the former extendin outwardly offset relation thereto, and the latter extending beneath the chassis in'the longi- .tudinal center thereof. Said frame, side bar II has an inwardly and forwardly extending rightangled front end l3, bolted, as at 20, to a depending plate 2| on the chassis side bar I. The lefthand side frame bar I8 is suspended at its front from the left-hand chassis frame bar 2 by a bar 22 bolted, as at 23, to a plate 23 on said bar 2 similarto plate 2|. Cross-bar 24 connects said front ends of said frame side bars l1, It. The rear end of the right-hand side frame bar' I1 is suspended from the axle housing 3 by an angle bar 25 suitably secured to said housing. The rear end of said frame bar |8 has the front end of the draw bar It pivoted thereto as .at 21. A rear cross-bar 23' also extends between said bars l1, l3, intermediate their ends. A front crossbar 28 extends between said bars l8. The frame It further includes a pair of lower right and left-hand side bars 29, 30, suspended from said side bars l8 at their front ends by a drop bracket 3| having its side legs 32 bolted to said of the latter. A brace bar 32 extends between side bars of the chassis supported by the rear-axle housing 3 of axle 4 supported by the ground wheels 5. The numeral 6 designates the power plant, generally, I the usual differential casing, 3 the seat, 9 the steering mechanism and It the power lift shaft above the axle housing 3, the numeral designating a power take-oil shaft extending rearwardly from the differential. The power lift and takeoff shafts I0, I I are both of the conventional type, the power lift shaft l0 being driven under the usual manual control and by gearing from the differential. These parts being well known in the art it has not been deemed essential to illustrate the details thereof. The type of tractor illustrated also includes a pair of rearwardly divergent bars l2 under the differential casing I bolted thereto through bolt holes l3 and connected by an apertured cross bar l3 supporting a draw bar ll suspended thereon, as at N, for lateral adjustment thereon, said draw bar being the bracket 3| and the angle bar 25. The rear ends of said lower side bars 29, 30 extend below the axle housing 3 and rearwardly thereof and are bolted, as at 35, to a cross-bar 36 extending beneath the rear end of the draw-bar ll and suspended by a right-angled hanger bracket 31 bolted to the beforementioned cross-bar l3. A

suspension bar 35' bolted to the rear side of a clip 'able about a horizontal axis and transverse to ment being such that said arm is rotatable about j an axis transverse to the axis of movement of yoke 39.

The usual mowing machine cutter bar 45, cutter bar guard 46, and ground shoe 46' are suitably mounted on the arm 42 as between ears one of which is shown at 41 on said arm. Driving mechanism for the cutter bar 45 is provided as follows. Journaled at its opposite ends in bearings 48 on the beforementioned bracket 3| and bar 38 to extend lengthwise of said frame |6 between the lower side bars 29 and 30 is a driven shaft 49 having a pulley 58 fast on its rear end to which the power take-off shaft H is operatively connected by a pulley fast thereon and a belt 52 extending between said pulleys. The described belt and pulley connection is preferably of the duplex type. Fast on the front end of driven shaft 49 is a pitman disk 53 operatively connected by a pitman rod 54' to the inner end of cutter bar 45 in the usual nianner.

As will be understood, vertical swinging of the support 38 provides for lowering and raising the cutter bar 45 into and from cutting position and rotation of the arm 42 provides for tilting of the cutter bar 45 in the lowered position thereof to vary the height of the cut from the ground.

Power operative means for swinging said support 38 is provided as follows. A transverse rock shaft 58 is journaled in bearings 51 upstanding from the end I9 of side bar said shaft extending transversely of the frame I5 and having a rearwardly extending end crank arm 58 and an intermediate upstanding crank arm 59 thereon. A rod 68 is swivelled at its upper end, as at El, to crank arm 58 with its lower end similarly connected, as at 62, to a cutter bar swinging link 63. Link 53 extends rearwardly from the support 38 and has its front end swivelled, as at 84, on an eye-bolt 65 on the arm 42 of said support, the rear end of said link being swivelled, as at 65, to an arm 61 depending from the side bar ll of the frame I6. As will be clear, rocking of the shaft 56 in one direction, i. e. clockwise as viewed in Figures land 2, will exert a pull on rod 58, such pull swinging link 63 upwardly on arm 61 to lift the support 38 and raise the cutter 45 from cutting position. For rocking shaft 55 in said direction a push rod 68 is pivoted at one end to crank arm 59, as at 59. A one-way connection is provided between the other end of push rod 68 and a crank 18 on the power lift shaft l0, said connection comprising a set collar II on said rod. and a collar 12 slidable on the rod and pivoted on said crank. As will be clear, operation of said crank 18 in the proper direction will move the rod 88, forwardly, as viewed in Figure 2, to operate the rock shaft 55 and effect swinging of the support 38 in a direction to raise the cutter bar 45. Conversely, reverse operation of said crank 18 will permit the cutter bar 45 to swing downwardly into cutting position under the influence of gravity.

Manual means are provided for operating the push rod 58 to effect rocking of the rock shaft 55 in the described direction sons to manually lift the support 38 and raise the cutter bar 45.

out of cutting position. This means comprises a hand-lever 8| upstanding from the bar 25 and suitably pivoted thereto, as at 82, said lever having the usual detent 83 and detent sector 84 associated therewith. A push rod TI is pivoted at one end, as at I8, to lever 8| to extend alongside push rod 58 with its opposite end slidably mounted in a collar 19 fast on said push rod 68. A set collar 88 fast on push rod I1 for abutting collar 19 under movement of lever 13 and push rod 11 forwardly, as viewed in Figures 1, 2, p

vide a one-way connection between said lever and push rod 68 whereby the cutter bar 45 may be manually raised out of cutting position as will be clear.

For rotating the arm 42 of support 38 to adjust the depth of the cut, a second hand-lever i5 is suitably pivoted, as at 12, in upstanding position, on the clip 36' with a detent I6 and a detent sector 16 associated therewith. A vertically swingable link extends forwardly from lever 8| and is pivoted, as at 86, to the upper end of a lever 81 pivoted intermediate its ends, as at 88, on the side bar ll of frame I6. The lower end of lever 81 is swivelled, as at 89, to a link 90 swivelled, as at 9|, on an eye-bolt 92 arising from the arm 42 of support 38. As will be obvious, operation of lever 8|, will, through link 85,

lever 81, link 98 and eye-bolt 92 rotate arm 42 to tilt the cutter bar 45, in its cutting position, and thereby vary the depth of the cutting operaion.

The members 93, 94 suspend from the frame IS a suitably pivoted link 95 forming a brace between the frame IG and arm 42 of bracket 38 steadying the latter against rearward thrust during the cutting operation.

The foregoing will, it is believed, suflice to impart a clear understanding of my invention without further explanation.

Manifestly the invention, as described, is susceptible of modification without departing from the inventive concept and right is herein reserved to such modifications as fall within the scope of the subjoined claim.

What I claim is:

The combination with a tractor including a chassis and a power lift shaft, of a frame underslung from said chassis, a support on one side of said frame pivotally mounted thereon for vertical swinging movement and rotatable about an axis at a, right angle to its axis of swinging movement, a mower blade assembly mounted on said support for vertical swinging thereby into and from mowing position and rotation thereby to vary its cutting angle, means to swing said support under operation of said power lift shaft including a rock shaft on said frame, operatively connected to said support,'a crank arm on said rock shaft, a push rod extending from said crank arm, a, crank on said power lift shaft, a one-way pick-up connection between said crank and push rod providing for independent operation of the rod, and means to independently operate said rod comprising a hand lever, and a one-way pick-up connection between said lever and rod providing for operation of the rod by said first pick-up connection, the operating connection between said crank arm and support comprising a link swivelled at one end on said support and having its other end swiveled on said frame, a

' lift rod connected to said link, and a crank connection between said rock shaft and lift rod, whereby said support is rotatable independently of said operating connections, and means to independently rotate said support.

PAUL J. POKLUDA. 

